That would not be a vosa issue, technically it's driving without a licence

That website is very clear Tigger except that it doesn't define exemptions. There are various exemptions, including one for "local" use, which is why it doesn't apply to farm tractors. Do some research and you may find you're exempt - presumably the wood chipper isn't going far. A friend once won a judgement about this in Strasbourg by proving that driving livestock from the West Country to London was a "local" trip.

landy19840 wrote:

That would not be a vosa issue, technically it's driving without a licence

landy19840 wrote:

That would not be a vosa issue, technically it's driving without a licence

This may relate:
http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/Transport_T...m_0510.pdf

It looks as though the regs don't apply when:

Vehicle is not over 7500kg GVW or is part of a combination of vehicles not over 7500 kg
combined GVW which is used to carry materials equipment or machinery for the driver s use in
the course of his work within a 50 km radius of base and where driving is not the driver s main
activity

And there#'s more here: http://www.dvtani.gov.uk/compliance/tachographsfaqs.asp#15

Drivers are also exempt from the EC drivers' hours and tachograph rules when engaged in the following transport operations in the UK. In these instances UK Drivers Hours Rules may apply.

Vehicles used by agricultural, horticultural, forestry or fishery undertakings for carrying goods within a 50 kilometre radius of the place where the vehicle is normally based, including local administrative areas, the centres of which are situated within that radius. (In the case of fishery undertakings the exemption applies only to the movement of fish from landing to first processing on land and of live fish between fish farms)
Vehicles used for carrying animal waste or carcasses which are not intended for human consumption
Vehicles used for carrying live animals from farms to local markets and vice versa or from markets to local slaughterhouses
Vehicles used as shops at local markets or for door-to-door selling or used for mobile banking, exchange or saving transactions, for worship, for the lending of books, records or cassettes, for cultural events or exhibitions, and specially fitted for such uses
Vehicles with a maximum permissible weight of not more than 7.5 tonnes carrying material or equipment for the driver's use in the course of his work within a 50 kilometre radius of the place where the vehicle is normally based, provided that driving the vehicle does not constitute the driver's main activity
Vehicles operating exclusively on islands not exceeding 2,300 square kilometres in area, which are not linked to the rest of Great Britain by a bridge, ford or tunnel open for use by motor vehicles
Vehicles with a gross vehicle weight (including batteries) of not more than 7.5 tonnes used for the carriage of goods and solely propelled by means of gas or electricity (this does not include petrol or diesel start-up engines or any other type of dual-fuelled engine)
Vehicles used for driving instruction with a view to obtaining a driving licence, but excluding instruction on a journey connected with carrying a commercial load.

Past master wrote:

That website is very clear Tigger except that it doesn't define exemptions. There are various exemptions, including one for "local" use, which is why it doesn't apply to farm tractors. Do some research and you may find you're exempt - presumably the wood chipper isn't going far. A friend once won a judgement about this in Strasbourg by proving that driving livestock from the West Country to London was a "local" trip.

ad210358 wrote:

Another point is if you past your test after 1997 you are limited to a MAM of 3.5t with a standard licence.

Thank you all for your contributions and helpful answers! As you can read it's a very grey area

Maybe the guys in the Hi Vis Jackets are the only ones who will know

My reading in to this is it will be under the 3.5t, on the vehicle plate under the bonnet will give you your vehicle weight limits, (not going out to look at this time of night) but if the MAM of the tow vehicle is below 2.5t and the trailer has a plate on it giving the maximum weight of 1000kgs, you total MAM wil be below the 3.5t threshold.

Any one

seems it much depends on your reason for towing. if for hire or reward you defiantly need a tacho.


light reading www.farmingforum.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=45833 At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

Simple answer is no you do not need one, I do not have one on my Navara which is capable of and do's carry and tow way more than a freebie.Tacho's are fitted to keep a check on drivers hours. commercial RRs, Defenders do not have them and Transits and others of that ilk do not have them fitted (as standard) by the way if you do have one fitted you must use it ALL the time, you cannot just use "when working" as the chart MUST BY LAW have an unbroken mileage record,an unbroken trace and a complete record of use over every 24 hour period, 7 days a week (although these can be done manually) and the records must be kept for at least 6 months, the charts MUST be kept in good condition, they are carboned for the tracer so are easily damaged and any damaged ones are illegal, your name, to and from and mileage must be complete and run consecutively any "missing" miles etc is illegal also you must stop and take statutary breaks approx' every couple of hours but this is complicated, as a rough guide the longer you drive the longer the break but you cannot drive for more than 3 hours at one time (I think ) and after 8 hours ( you can extend this but the "extra" hour must be "taken" back the next day, you must stop for your daily break, 8 hours minimum, oh! and it must be inspected every 2 years and recalibrated every 6 years, this is just the basics, failure to comply with any of these WILL cost money, up to £2000 for each offence. enjoy

Ghyllie oo! Shiney!
____________________________________________
55 Nissan Navara SE Black - My Toy.
08 Freelander 2 XS Santorini Black - Her Majesty's Toy.

I think it will come under Tachograph Regs, the book on my Fl 2 states that the GVW on one is 2505 kgs, if this is coupled to a trailer which has a plate stating MAM 1000kgs, this adds up to 5kg over the threshold. It would be legal in a standard Fl2 as it is not classed as a commercial vehicle and Taxed as Provate, but not if it is classed as commercial and taxed as Goods.

Transit type vehicles are not fitted as standard with Tachographs but they are options to have them fitted for operating above 3.5t. We operate in the Hire and Reward sector and we cannot hitch a trailer on to a 3.5t van and operate it without a calibrated Tachograph and also have an Operators Licence. As stated above then that vehicle will be subject to drivers hours regulations at all times and at no time drive for more than 4 1/2 hours continuous driving with out a break of 45 minutes but it just goes on and on.

As much as towing regs are supposed to make things safer on the raods they can also have the opposite effect, you can tow a trailer with a MAM of 1500kgs behind a standard saloon type vehicle such as an old Mondeo, and have a driver who has passed his test since 1997 and be legal as the combination will be less than 3.5t but he will be towing at almost 100% not ideal, but put the same trailer on to a Fl2 the combination goes over the 3.5t mark so illegal an a post 97 licence but towing at about 81% which is safer yet not legal.

Ghyllie wrote:

Simple answer is no you do not need one, I do not have one on my Navara which is capable of and do's carry and tow way more than a freebie...............etc, etc

Ghyllie, I am sorry, but you are wrong there. I drive HGVs. I can confirm if you have a gross weight exceeding 3.5T or a gross train weight also exceeding 3.5T the vehicle should be fitted with a tachograph. Therefore, the op's FL2 will have a GVW of 2502kg = no tacho needed. Fit a tow bar and trailer and, although LR state the GTW is 4505kg, for commercial purposes, the GTW cannot exceed 3.5T without a tacho being fitted. The law in this regard is not fully understood by everyone (including me ), even traffic cops. (and therefore rarely arises - except when in an accident - the Selby train crash comes to mind) You, yourself may well be sailing close to the wind and may be found liable if pulled in to a VOSA inspection. 10MY (Sept 09) TD4 HSE Auto in Stornoway Grey (Now Gone)

08 FL2 TD4 SE Manual in Rimini Red (Now Gone)

chicken george wrote:

seems it much depends on your reason for towing. if for hire or reward you defiantly need a tacho.


forums/showthread.php?t=45833